http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-19/bitcoin-exchanger-must-face-charges-related-to-silk-road.html“Money in ordinary parlance means ‘something generally accepted as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment,’” Rakoff said in a written opinion, citing dictionary definitions. “Bitcoin clearly qualifies as ‘money.’”
Prosecutors in the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in January charged Faiella and Charlie Shrem, former vice chairman of the Bitcoin Foundation, with conspiring to launder more than $1 million in the virtual currency. The two men are accused of engaging in a scheme to sell Bitcoins to Silk Road users, allowing customers to buy and sell illegal drugs anonymously, beyond the reach of law enforcement.
